- Levels.fyi: The gold standard for verified tech compensation, breaking down Base, Equity (RSUs), and Bonus by level. - AmbitionBox: High volume of data points for Indian IT services and domestic product startups. - TeamBlind: Anonymous insider discussions on current company compensation freezes and promotion bands.
Identify your exact skill gaps and follow a milestone-by-milestone curriculum tailored to your target engineering track.
Compensation is determined by company tier and revenue model (e.g., funded product tech vs service consultancies), not just years of experience.
Continue leveling up your technical and job search skills.
Never accept the first offer immediately. Research market percentiles, anchor compensation discussions, and negotiate sign-on bonuses and stock.
From Junior SDE 1 to Staff and Principal Engineer: understanding expectations, scope of impact, ownership boundaries, and promotion triggers.
Evaluate learning velocity, compensation stability, mentorship availability, and brand prestige to choose the right career foundation.